The City of Salida received a $489,614 Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Path to Parks Grant to help fund the Salida River Trail Project.

The grant, applied for in March by former Community Development Director Michael Yerman with assistance from Salida-area Parks Open-space and Trails President Donna Rhoads, will help fund construction of a 2.5-mile continuous trail extending from downtown Salida to Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Sands and Frantz Lake Wildlife Areas. The Path to Parks grant program is intended to help create seamless connections between regional trail networks, parks and open spaces.

A combination of soft and hard surface, the trail will connect McCormick Park, Salida Whitewater Park, Riverside Park, Salida Skate Park, Marvin Park, Sands Lake, Frantz Lake, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Open Space Areas and the Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area and will include amenities such as kiosks, benches, a water fountain and a restroom.

The required local match for the GOCO grant is 25% or $135,000. The total estimated project cost for the Salida River Trail is $540,000. This includes $54,000 for a Fishing is Fun grant to improve ADA fishing access, and $40,000 from the Fishing is Fun grant can be used as a match for the GOCO grant. The City is waiting to hear a reply regarding the Fishing is Fun grant application, which is expected by the end of the month.

During the GOCO grant application process, the City met with different community organizations to garner both financial and in-kind support. The City is anticipating the following funds to be provided for the required match to make the Salida River Trail a reality in 2015.

City of Salida – $70,000

Fishing is Fun Grant Match – $40,000

Chaffee County, Conservation Trust Funds – $30,000

Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center – $10,000

Collegiate Peaks Trout Unlimited – $5,000

Anonymous Citizen Donation – $1,000

Salida Mountain Trails – $500

Kathy Bryan Memorial Fund – $700

Salida Dental and Hygiene – $200

Salida-area Parks Open-space and Trails – $500

Natural Habitats – $2,950 (in-kind)

Pridemore Construction – $10,000 (in-kind)

Also, Michael Kimmet granted an easement through his property on Sackett Avenue to allow for construction of the trail.

The Great Outdoors Colorado Board approved six grants worth $4 million to build new paths to parks in Aurora, Brighton, Fort Collins, Golden, Adams County and Salida. More than $6.7 million had been requested in this competitive grant process.

GOCO invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created by voters in 1992, GOCO has funded more than 3,500 projects in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. The grants are funded by GOCO’s share of Colorado Lottery revenues, which are divided between GOCO, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Conservation Trust Fund and school construction.